Product Review: Maybelline Pure Powder

Name: Pure PowderBrand: MaybellineSize: 16gPrice: about €6/8

From Maybelline’s website:
Pressed and hypoallergenic powder with an anti-shine formula, with Aloe, Vitamina E and Chamomile. Designed for impure skins, it is easy to apply and doesn’t clo pores, doesn’t dry out skin and gives a luminuous, matt and natural finish to skin.

What I didn’t like:
– limited color range, no colors for darker skin tones
– it may offer too much coverage for some people
– controls shine only for a few hours
– like most powders, it may look cakey and accentuate dry patches if you’re not careful with application
– the packaging

Having pale skin, I always find it difficult to find a cheap powder that works for me so when I heard the Maybelline Pure Powder had a good color selection for fair-skinned ladies (unfortunately there are no shades available for those with dark skintones ), I had to go to the store and check it. Sadly, the translucent one was sold out and so was the lightest shade up so I ended up with Amber Beige, which still looked pale enough for me under those deceiving shop lights (memo to self: never shop when in a rush so you have time to check the color outdoors under natural lightening).

Actually, I think that if the powder had had sheer color payoff, it might still have worked well for me, but as it turns out it is medium to full coverage and, when applied on top of my foundation, it darkens it. But if you’re looking for a powder that gives great coverage, helping to cover imperfections without breaking the bank and you manage to find a good match for you, I think you may like this. Sure, it has a few cons, but I’m still very interesting in trying the translucent shade.

What I like about Pure Powder is the smooth, almost silky-soft texture that gives skin a natural matte finish without being dull. Application is easy but, like with all powders, it can accentuate dry patches and wrinkles if you have them, so make sure you moisturize your skin well beforehand. However, this wasn’t a problem for me and the powder also didn’t make me break out nor did it dry my skin.

It contains Talc and Calcium Carbonate, two ingredients used to absorb excess oil and keep shine under control but I find the powder does that only for several hours, definitely not the whole day, so you may still have to use blotting paper to remove excess oil and reapply the powder. On my non-oily areas though, the powder lasts long, helping my makeup stay put too.

It also gets a few more points for being fragrance-free, meaning no scent was added to make the powder smell a certain way. It has a subtle powdery odor, though, but that’s because every ingredient used in cosmetics has its own odor and with no fragrance added to mask them, you can still smell those.

Pure Powder comes in a circular compact that contains a generous amount of product that will last for months. The compact is very simple, cheap-looking and not sturdy at all. If you drop it, not only you’ll get a dent in your powder, but the powder pan will also unglue from the compact. In addition, it doesn’t come with a mirror.

Available at: Maybelline counters in Europe

Summary
Maybelline Pure Powder is an inexpensive mattifying powder that provides good coverage with a matte finish, is easy to apply and looks natural on. In addition, it has a very soft and smooth texture, lasts long and didn’t make me breakout. However, it keeps shine at bay only for a few hours, may accentuate dry patches if skin is not well moisturized and packaging is cheap. The color selection is good for pale skintones, but not for darker ones.